Gone Hollywood (2011/Image Entertainment DVD)
Picture:
C Sound: C Extras: D Main Program: C+
Al (Fernando
Carrillo) is a Hollywood star who is trying to
relive his glory days, but since his big break things have been going downhill
and all he had is a mountain of debt. When
his father passes away he finds himself that he is to inherit a fortune... on
the condition he works in the family bar for 30 days. He returns to his hometown where he reunites
with his old friends and learns of all the things he's been missing in
Demetrius Navarro’s Gone Hollywood
(2011).
Al is
down on his luck until he finds out he can sell his dad's bar and house for a
small fortune, all he has to do is work in the bar for 30 days. The town welcomes Al back almost like a
hometown hero, but unfortunately for Al, all his admirers seem to be old ladies
or children. Then when the townsfolk
discover Al's intentions, they don't want him to sell the town bar, the bar has
been a place for Spanish/Latino community to come to each night, including
chicken poop bingo, but in Al's rush to get back to Hollywood, in that 30 days
he learns there is more life than fame and fortune, but there are family and
friends and he even finds a bit of love.
Hollywood
comes calling and wants him back and offers his own TV
show, but will Al be tempted to leave or stay?
This is
another story of a Hollywood star who is
trying to decide which life to live, one life is filled with glamour and
stardom, and the other is the quiet life of a quaint small town. It paints Hollywood (while rich and famous) as an evil
life which is fueled by greed and money, while the hometown life is filled with
warmth and people who actually care. Usually the main character starts out as rich,
snobbish and spoiled but then has a change of heart when he/she is reminded of
their grass roots and importance of family values. This variation tries to work, but with
limited success.
The
anamorphically enhanced picture and lossy Dolby Digital sound are on the weak
side and there are no extras.
- Ricky Chiang
